Wisdom

Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly

Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life; mock life and life will mock you

To acquire good sense is to love oneself; to treasure discernment is to prosper.

Don’t imagine yourself to be quite presentable when you haven’t had a bath in weeks

Don’t try to talk sense to a fool; he can’t appreciate it

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.

To act without knowing how you function is not good; and if you rush ahead, you will miss your goal.

It is wrong to accept a bribe to twist justice

Smart people keep quiet about what they know, but stupid people advertise their ignorance

For there is great satisfaction in speaking the truth, and hard work brings blessings back to you.

A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is

Don’t speak to fools; they will only ignore your wise words

A foolish person is happy when he does wicked things. But a wise person enjoys doing things that are right

The one with a wise heart is called “discerning,” and speaking sweetly to others makes your teaching even more convincing.

The man of few words and settled mind is wise; therefore, even a fool is thought to be wise when he is silent. It pays him to keep his mouth shut.

A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences

The one who searches for what is good seeks favor, but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him

If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin; if you are wise, you will keep quiet

A woman's family

Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions

Proverbs 19: 12 (GW) The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass

Only a simpleton believes everything he’s told! A prudent man understands the need for proof

Don’t envy godless men; don’t even enjoy their company

A fool does not find joy in understanding but only in expressing his own opinion

Sensible people control their temper;

A rebellious son is a calamity to his father, and a nagging wife annoys like constant dripping

Those with insight find prosperity;

Wisdom is so priceless that it exceeds the value of any jewel.

Fines are needed to make fools obey the law, but good people are happy to obey it

Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry

Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows

Cynics look high and low for wisdom and never find it; the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!

The one who returns evil for good

The words of wise men heard in quietness are better than the shouting of one who rules among fools

Do not send a lazy person with a message. He will bring you pain, like the taste of bitter wine, or like smoke in your eyes.

Watch your words and be careful what you say, and you’ll be surprised by how few troubles you’ll have.

Don’t boast in the presence of a king or promote yourself by taking a seat at the head table and pretending that you’re someone important.

Without guidance from God, law and order disappear, but God blesses everyone who obeys his Law.

Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.

Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart

If you warn a person who is proud, he will insult you. If you tell a wicked person that he is wrong, he will hurt you.

It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important

There’s no use arguing with a fool. He only rages and scoffs, and tempers flare.

Don’t be too fond of sleep; you’ll end up in the poorhouse.

Better to meet a grizzly robbed of her cubs than a fool hellbent on folly

To an evil person sin is bait in a trap

Make it to the top by lying and cheating; get paid with smoke and a promotion—to death!

Don’t jump to conclusions—there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.

As the churning of cream yields butter, and a blow to the nose causes bleeding, so anger causes quarrels.

Calamity pursues sinners

Stay away from fools, for you won’t find knowledge on their lips

It is not good to be partial to the guilty and thus deprive the innocent of justice

A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track

Children who mistreat their parents are an embarrassment to their family and a public disgrace

Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?

A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy; do you know what comes next?

A wise person is careful to keep away from trouble. But a fool is careless and he thinks that he is always right.

A senseless man jumps headfirst into an argument; he’s just asking for a beating for his reckless words.

People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.

A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, but the words of the wise keep them safe

If you have good sense

Anyone who causes trouble for his family will not receive any good thing from them.

A lie has a short life, but truth lives on forever

It is an honor for a man to stay out of a fight. Only fools insist on quarreling

Those who plan evil are in for a rude surprise, but those who work for good will find happiness.

When a fool speaks, he is destroying himself. His own words are a trap that catches him.

A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.

By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up; but the words of the wicked tear it down.

Troublemakers listen

Pride ends in destruction; humility ends in honor.

A sick dog goes back to eat what it could not keep in its stomach.

For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Stick with wisdom and she will stick to you, protecting you throughout your days. She will rescue all those who passionately listen to her voice.

Words of wisdom are like a fresh, flowing brook— like deep waters that spring forth from within, bubbling up inside the one with understanding.

If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.

There are some people who ruin their own lives and then blame it all on God.

What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!

Control your angry thoughts. Only fools allow their anger to continue

People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.

The lamp of a good person

With the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be full; the produce of his lips will be his in full measure.

If a ruler pays attention to false information, all his officials will be liars

A man’s lust is his shame, and a poor man is better than a liar.

A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.

It’s better to live in a hut in the wilderness

The wicked bring on themselves

Develop your business first before building your house

If you live right, you will have plenty to eat; if you don't live right,

The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam, so stop it before it bursts.

Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight.

A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

A greedy and grasping person destroys community; those who refuse to exploit live and let live.

Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.

When you remove corrupt men from the king’s court, his reign will be just and fair.

Deceit causes trouble, and foolish talk will bring you to ruin.

It's better to be ordinary and have only one servant than to think you are somebody and starve to death.

Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected but a meek and humble spirit will add to your honor.

21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: 22 a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, 23 a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.